The Junior League of the Women's Club of Farmingdale recently invited all teachers in the Farmingdale School District (excluding the high school) to participate in their annual Teachers Grant Program. This annual program allows teachers throughout the district to write a short paragraph explaining what they would like to purchase for their classroom, something that would be an asset to their teaching.

Members of the Judging Committee noted that they had a hard time deciding on just eight winners, but were pleased to issue eight $250 checks to local educators. They said that they wished they could award grants to all who participated as all the projects noted were worthwhile. However, they only had enough funds available to award eight grants. Members of the Teachers Grant Committee included Chairperson Maureen Barclay and committee members Nancy Brackman, Monica Kuchinskas, Jeanne Gatto and Ann Marie Rosa.

Teachers who participated in the program included Albany Avenue educators Lisa Catapano, Lisa Dossiano (winner), Debbie McAuley, Clare O'Sullivan, Gretchen Simonetti and Karen Tamis; Saltzman East Memorial teachers Liz Della Rocca, Barbara Lieberman (winner), Leigh O'Brien and Christina Ribiero; LaSalle Regional teachers Patricia Condon, Elizabeth Jedzinak, Annette LoVerde (winner), Eileen Navagh and Patricia Tergesen; Northside teachers Lesley Abbazia, Lynn Costello, Virginia Dalton, Katie Fernandez (winner), Valeria Hecht, Lauren Karpf (winner), Rebecca Marshak, Ellen Shapiro/Jennifer Kalter and Catherine Turano/Elizabeth Gentleman; Howitt educators Rich Borawski (winner), Mary Ann DeRosa (winner), Sylvia Egal, Michelle Freed, Patricia Garcia, Kristina Hilton, Patricia Iadanza, Elizabeth Jacobi, Ivelysse Swan and STEP Program students; and Woodward Parkway educators Margaret Barton, Anita Greenburg, Sheryl Heit, Janet McGovern, Tracy Vicere (winner) and Carrie Wolf.

Lisa Dossiano, a teacher at Northside, is planning to use her grant money to purchase a scanner to be used for writing projects. Saltzman East Memorial teacher Barbara Lieberman plans to use the funds to help low income students purchase band supplies. Annette LoVerde, a teacher at LaSalle Regional, plans to purchase science equipment. Northside winner Katie Fernandez plans to use the funds for literacy activities and her colleague Lauren Karpf, also a teacher at Northside, plans to use her funds to purchase non-fiction books. Howitt Middle School educator Rich Borawski plans to use his grant money for the "Early Act Service Club," a map depicting high-risk hot spots in the community. Mary Ann DeRosa, also a Howitt educator, plans to use the funds to purchase TI-30xII calculators. Woodward Parkway educator Tracy Vicere will use the grant money to purchase a cassette recorder/players for special education learners.

The Junior League of the Women's Club of Farmingdale makes this program available to elementary and middle school educators throughout the school district every year. All teachers are invited to participate for a chance to win a grant to help them purchase supplies that will further benefit their students. The Teachers Grant Committee once again thanks all who participated and hopes to get even more teachers interested in taking part in this program next year.